Sustainable Development Internships in Ecuador

I cannot recommend this internship highly enough. The host family I stayed with was so welcoming and really made me feel part of the family. Everyone in the community was so knowledgeable and open to teach me as much as possible, from local wildlife to the workings of their Chakras (permacultures). It really opened my eyes to new possibilities for sustainable agriculture, ethical tourism and safeguarding of biodiversity and local culture/knowledge. All the planned days were a lot of fun, from white water rafting to seeing an apiary with stingless bees and vanilla production. Tena is also one of the most special places I have been to, with great food, a fun nightlife, all while being in the Amazon rainforest, with Cafe Tortuga an amazing hub to get to know a vast array of amazing people. Really, this is an experience which is eye-opening, rewarding, and filled with unforgettable experiences.

The program I was enrolled in was unavailable to review on this platform, but I was more focused on learning amazonian arts from the Ecuadorian people. I learned a lot about how to derive materials from plants and the earth, including how to harvest and purify clay, how to make fibers from the pita leaf, and which plants or minerals could be used as natural pigments for dyeing or painting fabric, a painting surface, or skin. I also learned how to make many artesanias with the natural fibers, how to make glasses and bowls from various woods and fruits from the trees, and traditional pottery techniques. I also learned about the natural medicinal properties of many plants, and about more environmental topics. I painted a mural for my community's business and learned about the gastronomy of the area and how the farming influences it as well.

I spent eight unforgettable weeks living with the Yumbo family in the Sacha Waysa community near Cotundo, Ecuador. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed with open arms and gradually became part of the family. By the end of my stay, we also really became friends. The Yumbo family is part of the sacha waysa community, which is a community that works tirelessly to preserve its culture while sharing it with the world through ecotourism. During my time there, I focused on helping to attract more visitors interested in experiencing the kichua culture and daily life. I really enjoyed contributing to this project, it was meaningful to help support their efforts to sustain both their traditions and their livelihoods. Alongside this work, the Amazon Learning team organized weekly activities that allowed me and the other interns to explore different community-run projects. One of the most memorable experiences was visiting a group of midwives who assist women in giving natural births. They had an entire garden filled with medicinal plants, each with its own purpose and history. Learning about these plants and the traditional knowledge behind them was fascinating. Living and working with the Yumbo family gave me a rare opportunity to fully immerse myself in a different way of life. I gained a deep appreciation for their connection to nature, their strong sense of community, and their dedication to preserving their heritage. Being able to both learn from them and contribute where help was needed created the perfect balance between cultural immersion and meaningful participation.

When I first arrived in tena, I immediately felt so welcomed by Megan, and the 1-1 induction helped me settle in and get familiar with the town, going to the markets and finding my way around which was super helpful! I stayed with Clemente and Alena, who were both so welcoming, and I settled into daily life quickly, helping them in the house, working in their chakra and then working in the nearby town. Their house is in a really beautiful area, when I first arrived I thought that their back garden was the chakra as there were so many beautiful trees and plants around- waking up to the sound of nature was amazing! Whilst I did miss home occasionally over the 7 weeks, the weekly activities with other interns and 1-1s with Megan were great to just have someone to chat with- I also feel like without Megan I wouldn't have got the most out of my stay, knowing what new foods to try, and places to go in my free time was invaluable! Getting to eat soo many new fruits, and things like chontacuro was great, I might not have had the guts to do it without her!! Overall it was a great experience, that weekly activities were fun and I learnt a lot, the family and where I stayed was amazing and I really felt like I was integrating into their life- not just someone on holiday. The people, views and experiences are something I will never forget, I already want to go back <3

I honestly wouldn't know what to improve — I had the best time and would 100% recommend it to others. During my internship, it started with the Ministry of the Environment, which began great. However, at a certain moment I realized that it didn't work out for me personally. Luckily, I was able to shift my focus to the chakra systems and Guayusa! Andy and Mirka were both lovely and super helpful. What I'm most proud of is deepening my understanding of nature and its global, border-transcending impact. The most impactful part was my host family. It was hard to hear of and see so much environmental destruction and social inequalities — it is one thing to learn about it at University, but to witness it can be very hard to process and deal with. So I'd say I learned how to cope with that and channel it into something useful. I think I could have tried to learn Kichwa better, but speaking Spanish for most days was already challenging. Looking back, I improved my Spanish and learned a ton about the complex realities that people face in the region — it also got me to think about ways to alleviate some of the issues, and I was able to practically use the skills I learned at University. If it works out, this program might have given me the inspiration to start my own business! Beyond that, it changed my life and made me affirm the life choices that I have made and the ones that I am about to make. I am immensely grateful for my host family's hospitality and kindness — they took me in and made me feel welcome and happy. I would recommend this to anyone, outside or inside of a university program, who is open to getting to know a culture and themselves on a deeper level.

During my internship, I conducted a study for the GIZ to determine social impacts and barriers for chakra farmers. I am very proud of my final product for the GIZ — getting to do the interviews and having such a hands-on role in the whole project was amazing! The most impactful part was all of the above. The home stay was challenging because I often didn't feel like my family was very welcoming or wanted a volunteer in their household. I think I did learn resiliency from this relationship, as well as gain a better understanding of the struggles my host family was going through. The relationships I made were still ultimately very meaningful to me. I wish that I had taken more advantage of opportunities available and been more assertive, because I do feel like I lost some time my first few weeks. Looking back, I feel more liberated to pursue what I truly want from life and I am also putting less pressure on myself to find a single path to success — there are so many ways to be successful! I believe the program helped me determine what's important to me in my future career, such as having work that I am passionate about but also a work environment that I enjoy. I feel more passionate about food justice and public health for the future. I gained more confidence in my day-to-day life. I'm super grateful for this experience, the connections and friendships I made, and the growth I experienced as a result of pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. I would recommend Amazon Learning to anyone who wants to participate in a unique program with true cultural immersion.

During my internship, the main project was just living daily life, getting to know the culture and general way of practicing medicine! I also created a study abroad course for traditional medicine, put together an orientation for new volunteers at Amupakin, and created a Go Get Funding page for Amupakin. I appreciated the check-ins — I feel like they always came at the right time when I needed them the most to stay on track. What I learned most was to adapt to the culture and go with the flow! The most impactful part was all of the above. Having to wait around for buses all the time was a challenge, but I chose to use that lag time to practice reading out loud in Spanish from my book — this ended up being one of my most valuable Spanish-learning tools. Having more confidence that I could indeed do more than I thought is something I wish I had leaned into earlier. Looking back, I developed knowledge of traditional medicine, an understanding of global midwifery practices, the ability to maintain a conversation in Spanish, and an understanding of the dynamic of indigenous cultures and Westernization. I feel extremely benefited by my enhanced perspective of medical practices worldwide, along with the interplay of traditional forms of medicine and biomedicine. The experience definitely made me realize how much I love more traditional, organic forms of practicing medicine, and I don't think I fit into more stressful, systematic medical environments. The Amupakin mamas showed me how valuable and honorable it is to be a mother and raise a family — it was encouraging to see that role truly respected. I have learned a lot about balancing an activity-based mindset with a socially based mindset, and also understanding that as long as one maintains the proper focus, whatever work that needs to be completed will be completed. Tranquila. I'm just super grateful to Amazon Learning for helping me to fulfill my longstanding dream of immersion in another culture, learning indigenous medicine! Thank you for connecting me with the Kichwa people and giving me the chance to learn from people full of knowledge to share!

During my internship, my main project was teaching English in 5 de Octubre — three hour-long classes twice a week for about six weeks. In my community, I spent a lot of time taking care of the big vegetable garden, and I also helped out with the tourism business in my community, whether that was cooking, translating, or helping them with money stuff. I really liked the 1:1s I had with Mika — I always left our conversations feeling good about what I had done and inspired for the future. Once we started, I could see a change in the way I approached my internship — with more focus, purpose, and confidence! I loved every single minute I spent in 9 de Junio and would not have changed anything about my time there. The people are so kind and friendly and welcoming. What I'm most proud of is the relationships that I built with everyone in my community — it was one of my goals to get to know everyone in 9 de Junio and I feel like I both met and exceeded that goal. I was proud of how openly I trusted and shared about myself in order to build trust, and then how people reciprocated that by telling me about their lives, inviting me to come live with them or go visit their family. When I left, I truly felt like I was leaving a second family. The most impactful part was my host family. While living with a host family, I found the lack of personal space challenging at times — I learned to keep my things very tidy and to take intentional time out of my day or week to be by myself to recharge and then return home at my best energy. I was really proud of how my Spanish improved, and I also think I practiced and learned a lot about self-accountability and taking initiative. From my experience in my Kichwa community, I learned a lot of spiritual practices about the earth, the jungle and our world that I want to take with me into my personal life. I am most grateful for having gotten to know my community — I am so grateful for the way they opened their homes and their arms to me, and for all the laughter and fun times we shared, but also for the way they opened up to me about their lives and their challenges. I had a lot of personal transformations about the way I view the world and my place and responsibility in it. I think this is a super program, especially for gap year students — it was the perfect combination between support and freedom, and I think the freedom also pushed me to grow more than I would have in a structured program, all while knowing that if I ever needed anything, you both were right there to help me.

During my internship, I did translation of documents, marketing, and web design. When I did check in with Mika they were always awesome — I didn't do it near enough as I was so busy, but it was great to get reconnected when I did. I loved my family and am still in contact with them to this day. What I'm most proud of is being grateful to have helped Winak with their website and Guayusa manual. The most impactful part was my host family. The drunk community members were really difficult at first, but I learned so much about how to handle it and remain safe. Looking back, I developed Spanish and critical thinking skills. I am now thinking of how to create a business to employ Kichwa women for an artisan social enterprise of my own. Beyond that, it literally changed how I live, what I eat, how I think. I am so grateful for my host family that supported me and cared for me so well. I developed a love for Spanish, indigenous people, and social enterprise. I would recommend anyone to Amazon Learning in a heartbeat. Love Ecuador and can not wait to come back.

During my internship, I worked with women's health, pre/postnatals, birth attendance, working in the chacra, and community visits. The rhythm, the connection, the care was so loving and welcoming with open arms — I loved it so much. The weekend activities, Amupakin, the culture, the connections — all of it felt so tailored to me and I am so grateful. Megan was awesome — attentive, available, reliable with responses and check-ins. What I'm most proud of is that I gave myself to the people, the land, the experiences. Part of my intention for coming was to give back to those holding and sharing knowledge and be in service — I now see it as the attunement, attention, excitement to learn and fall in love with their visions, gifts and culture, along with creating meaningful connections without words or conversation requiring other ways. Physical discomfort — the heat, the bug bites, not feeling 100% great all the time — was the challenge. I learned to surrender to it and allow it to exist alongside everything instead of becoming a focal point. I learned Spanish before coming — that's what I could have done better! Looking back, I deepened my trust in plant medicine and in my own intuition. Not speaking the language offered a very cool opportunity to learn a different way outside the mind — I found a pathway of observation, intuition, and employing other less-used senses, and allowed answers to find me. These skills may be more important in this type of work. This experience anchored things for me — my love and service to plants and women. It brought to life things I have learned and been taught through theory and has inspired more expression from a place of deeper relationship with birth, plants, the land, and the teachers. It helped me define a clearer sense of my gifts, passions, and what is just creating distractions. Beyond that, I now have an embodied sense and knowing of matriarchal and women-led community — and this experience developed a stronger sense of self-trust and confidence. The relationships that have been developed, nurtured, and cared for — that allow for such an expansive and rich experience — are what I am most grateful for. And sooooo grateful to have been able to go to Momma Adela's home to hug her goodbye. It would have felt incomplete without that. Life changing if one lets it.

During my internship, I worked with the Ministry of Environment to write a story about the history of Santa Rita, and I accompanied my supervisor for her daily activities, including tour guide. They were incredible — 10000/10. Stephanie was awesome! She helped me with any struggles I faced and was there with a tremendous amount of support and guidance, and I felt very comfortable speaking to her and expressing my feelings. What I'm most proud of is the friendships and relationships that I fostered. The most impactful part was my host family. I struggled with my lower level of Spanish, but I learned to practice it and learn from others. I could have reached out to more actors to help jumpstart the trash program in my community. Looking back, I became more selfless, resilient, and learned to be more curious rather than judgmental. I believe I gained a multitude of skills from working at MAE which will benefit my career in the environmental studies realm, and I would want to focus my work in Latin America, where practicing Spanish will serve as a huge benefit. I really loved Ecuador and I would hope to live here one day. I am super grateful for this experience, but I am most grateful for living in Santa Rita.

During my internship, the first week had me doing manual labor with bamboo stocks and constructing a hut. I would also work in the chacras on most days — various tasks from cutting cacao to pruning banana trees. Other days I would head to Tena for internet and do market research on cacao, cho cho, and soybeans. My host family, community, and accommodations were perfect — they are doing things the right way over there. I felt safer there than I do back at school and home in California. Everything went so well in Shandia that it is hard being this far away from them at this point. The check-ins were nice to have for extended conversations — at no point did I think I was alone; if things got ugly I knew who to contact and felt comfortable with that idea. What I'm most proud of is making a second home. The most impactful part was my host family. My health was compromised at some points, which inevitably led me to be much more of a believer in natural remedies — I was used to knowing things a certain way, but I could go on about other things that were done differently and helped me open my mind up. My Spanish improved immensely, in addition to my comfort level with those of different backgrounds. I had never been around little kids so often and I think I may have improved my future skills of raising a child. I am now much more adept in conversing with strangers and would love to have a career in Ecuador or elsewhere in Latin America. Completely, my needs and wants out of this life changed vastly. My future decisions will be influenced by the time I spent in Ecuador because it truly changed the way I perceive the world and my place in it. I don't see money or other material items the way I used to — in Shandia, we had everything we really needed to live and be happy. My host family had much less in some cases, but a lot more of the things that mattered. Thankful for every minute I had in Ecuador. There is still a somber feeling when writing the evaluation, but I'm forever grateful for this opportunity and carrying these bliss memories with me as I go on.

During my internship, I created a map of Kallari's sales points in Tena, created some Instagram posts which they told me they'd post in the future, and worked in the cacao collection center for two days — which was an excellent and unique experience. I really enjoyed my time in Tena. Mirka was very involved, informed, and helpful, and I am happy to have met her and for all the activities she prepared for us. I had the best chocolate and the best teas and foods. I can only hope that Ecuador's products can find a bigger market in the world. What I'm most proud of: visiting Roger's chakra and trusting strangers enough to let go during an ayahuasca ceremony — getting the full effect — is something I am proud of. Forcing myself to interact in Spanish even when I could not respond or understand some things, and watching my Spanish improve drastically in a month, is also something I am proud of. And preparing chocolate at Sinchi Warmi — this is the best experience I could have wished for regarding chocolate. People taking their time to do things was a challenge for me — my sense of time, efficiency, and getting things done only sometimes resonated with the locals of Tena. I could have pushed Kallari to work with me more. Looking back, I developed Spanish, negotiation, saying no, trusting more easily, foraging, and taking it slow. I now have some knowledge on cacao, chocolate, indigenous culture, and the Ecuadorian Amazon — these are valuable, especially in Europe, which is 10,000km from the Americas. I think I would like to come and spend six months to a year in the Amazon. I did not foresee how a person could feel so great spending time in a forest with so many fruits around. I also think working with fruits and vegetables makes me very happy and I would like to find a job in the future that lets me do that. All the friendships I made there are what I am most grateful for. Mirka knows a lot of people, the locals, the local experiences that a tourist cannot easily find searching online — I think that is one of the most valuable aspects of Amazon Learning.

During my internship, I worked at Kallari Association, helping their cacao business in any capacity that I could. I learned how the cacao is planted, grown, harvested in my family's chakra, and then collected, processed, packaged, and marketed at Kallari. I also was given the opportunity to explore and learn from nearby cacao organizations and chakras. Carla and her family were absolutely wonderful — super friendly, helped me out a lot, and made delicious food. Mirka was an excellent mentor! She helped me understand what to expect during my time in Tena and provided excellent support. What I'm most proud of is being able to build relationships with the members of my host family — my Spanish is not anywhere close to perfect, but my host family was very supportive and patient. One challenge was trying to fit in everything I wanted to do and learn during my short stay in Tena — I learned how to be efficient and concise with the things I did. I think I could have put more effort into speaking Spanish during the entirety of my stay instead of speaking English when I had the opportunity to do so. Looking back, I was pushed out of my comfort zone and became much more flexible and able to adapt to situations — my Spanish skills most definitely improved, as did my agriculture skills, since I only knew of American farming techniques. This experience has helped me determine that I want to go into sustainable agriculture or food security in the United States. I am applying to graduate school now, and hopefully will start my own entrepreneurial venture relating to this one day. I will be much more aware of how my actions impact my community and the planet, and I will be doing things I'm passionate about instead of purely monetarily. I am grateful for the wonderful family that so generously opened up and shared their lives with me. I think exposing as many people to this program would be wonderful — it helps people explore their interests in a new perspective and makes a positive impact on the community in Tena.

During my internship, I worked with GIZ helping with climate change workshops and inputting information into Excel spreadsheets, worked at Tamia Yura getting a tour of the botanical gardens, and taught English classes two evenings a week at Cavernas Jumandy. I also conducted independent research on Buen Vivir for school. I really loved Tamia Yura — the people there and the forest, the gardens, everything. It was so beautiful and I hope it can work out in the future. The 1:1s were fantastic, very helpful and thorough. I loved my host family — they did a great job making me feel included in the family and welcome in the home. They all made efforts to get to know me and ask questions, and taught me about their culture. What I'm most proud of is conducting interviews for my research project, starting teaching English classes at the Cavernas Jumandy, and developing strong relationships with my host family. The most impactful part was all of the above. At the beginning it was hard for me to be so visibly different, so conspicuous as a gringa — I didn't like walking on the street because I felt like everyone was looking at me all the time. After a while I realized that I couldn't change the way I looked and was just going to have to brush it off. I learned to care less about what other people were thinking about me — it's not something I can really change from a distance. I wish I would have started more conversations with family members instead of waiting for them to start conversations. Looking back, I got better at Spanish, learned to take more initiative, and became more confident in myself through being visibly different. This experience made me more interested in environmental education and made me want to work in South America. I really want to come back in the future to see the people I developed relationships with, and going to Ecuador made me realize how important traveling can be and how much I want to keep traveling, and possibly live abroad at some point. I am so grateful for my host family and their support, friendship, and for including me in their lives. I had a wonderful experience — I'm having a hard time explaining it to others. You just have to go yourself.

During my internship, I organised various viveros in different communities, collecting seeds and plants from the rainforest and planting them. I felt like I could always get in touch if I needed to, as both Andy and Stephanie were friendly and approachable — I appreciated the check-ins to ensure everything was going well and I felt comfortable. The most impactful part was my host family. What I'm most proud of is the ability to communicate effectively with members of the community and gaining respect from them and my colleagues. Getting off the wrong stop on the bus and ending up in a different community was a challenge — I learnt to have confidence to ask questions and ask for help, as people are generally willing to give it. Looking back, I developed Spanish and physical manual labour skills. This experience gives me something interesting to talk about in job interviews, as it shows that I understand other cultures and biodiversity. Beyond that, it made me more humble and more conscious about my consumption and trying to be more sustainable. I am grateful for the opportunity to live with a local family and understand everyday life as a local. I feel it is a good way to understand the Amazonian region deeply rather than just focusing on its attractiveness.

During my internship, I was working on a reforestation project with chunchos and corn. My Ecuafamily was perfect — I really enjoyed working and living at Mushullacta with Jose and Maira's family. The 1:1 was very useful at the beginning because I was a little bit lost in this new country, and my English and Spanish were very bad at the time. For the first time I think I have realized and accomplished something professionally. What I'm most proud of is accomplishing my personal and professional project. The most impactful part was all of the above. Improving my language skills was a real challenge — I learned that to learn a new language perfectly it's important to take classes, because people could not understand me but my English and Spanish are not very academic. Looking back, I wish I had been myself earlier. I developed skills in how to manage a reforestation project in a developing country, and it confirms me in the idea that it is what I want to do in my future professional life. All of my experience there was a personal transformation, and I discovered a new culture I am grateful for. It was one of my best experiences — I would recommend it extremely likely.

Had the most wonderful internship at Projekt Ubuntu Connekt! Worked with an amazing team, consisting of 2 amazing community women leaders, at the community hall. The time I spend with the children was special and I learned so much from them! I felt so at home in the community and was surrounded with great joy everyday!

During my internship, I inventoried chakras with a professor at Ikiam University — he plans to experiment growing different species on Ikiam property and help the local communities retain more value from their crops. Great family, plan to stay in touch with them after just three weeks! My 1:1 happened on my last day, so it was nice to recap and touch base before re-entering the US. What I'm most proud of is analyzing tree species data to understand best growth conditions and value potential. The most impactful part was all of the above. Parsing out when a local was telling me species names in Kichwa versus Spanish was a challenge, and I could have connected more with Amazon Learning and the other interns. Looking back, I developed plant species identification, strengthened my Spanish, and gained some international experience. This experience helped me understand a foreign culture through the eyes of local people and become more sympathetic to their way of living. It gave me more perspective and made me realize how many things I take for granted. It is a very unique and formative experience — the combination of receiving some formal training through Amazon Learning and then getting an immersive experience is very powerful and rewarding. Thank you for everything!

During my internship, I worked with Winak, an indigenous chocolate company. While working with Winak I was able to develop a new website, new product design, do a lot of translating of documents, participate in the cacao production process, and teach English. My project was wonderful — the people I worked with were welcoming, open, and kind, and I felt like I was able to learn and contribute. My host family was really wonderful — caring, attentive, respectful, and so kind and welcoming. I could not have asked for a better host family. I appreciated the individual check-ins and I think the Amazon Learning team did a good job offering me support when I needed it, while also giving me plenty of independence to go through the process on my own and truly immerse. What I'm most proud of is the fact that I was able to teach English to my coworkers at Winak — this was a task I was not expecting, and I was able to develop lesson plans, interact, and teach with confidence. The most impactful part was all of the above. I struggled with my inability to control my diet, since I was being served by my host family — the diet is drastically different from the one I am accustomed to, and it made me feel like I was losing control. I was able to adapt by speaking with my host family, taking a more active role in making meals, and buying groceries that I enjoyed and incorporating them in with the family's meals. This allowed me to use my skills of adaptation, communication, and acceptance. I think that I could have tried to engage more in the community beyond my family life and work life. Looking back, I strengthened my Spanish language skills, problem solving skills, cultural awareness, adaptability, communication, appreciation, and perseverance. My experience in the Amazon made international development come to life for me — previously I learned a lot in the classroom, but being able to experience a new culture and open my eyes to new problems and solutions will serve me well in my future career. Ecuador gave me the gift of humility, and has truly changed the way that I look at the world around me every day. I am grateful for my host family — their generosity, attentiveness, and care could not have been more apparent, and these things truly made my experience in Ecuador so much more meaningful to me. Opening my eyes to a new culture and a new people has allowed me to view my own culture through a new lens, as well as view myself and my life differently. I think that an experience like the one I had is so valuable for a young person to have.